Paints & Coatings

Council housing more green – report

Wednesday 06 June 2007A major new Government report published this week has revealed that council houses and social housing projects are the most energy efficient homes in the UK, far outranking their privately-owned counterparts.

Over three quarters (77 per cent) of social sector housing has cavity walls, compared to just over two thirds (67 per cent) of private homes. Just a quarter (27 per cent) of private homes have adequate loft insulation, while almost a half (44 per cent) of social sector houses boast 150mm of insulation or more.

“This report shows the multi-billion pound investment in council houses in helping the environment as well as families’ fuel bills. Council houses are now much greener than private homes,” said Housing Minister Yvette Cooper. “It shows that major refurbishments to deliver decent homes are far more than Changing Rooms-style makeovers. Modern central heating and insulation is being installed alongside new kitchens and bathrooms. It was shocking that at the end of the twentieth century, two million council houses failed basic decency standards and many lacked proper insulation or central heating. Now we are well on the way to making all council houses decent, with 95% of social housing to meet the decency standards by 2010.”